India vs West Indies: India Win by 5 Wickets, Sanju Samson Stars with 97 to Reach Semi-Final
One of the most interesting matches of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was the match between the West Indies and India national cricket teams at Eden Gardens. With excellent middle-order performances, the West Indies batted first and amassed a solid score of 195/4 in 20 overs. India won the match by 5 wickets after chasing down the mark with a score of 199/5 in just 19.2 overs. Sanju Samson was selected Player of the Match for his outstanding, undefeated knock of 97 runs off 50 balls. Although India lost wickets frequently, the pursuit was helped by significant contributions from Tilak Varma and others.India maintained their aspirations of winning the championship by securing their spot in the semi-finals with this significant victory. Fans were glued to the screen until the very last over of this action-packed, high-scoring match.
Sunday 1st March 2026, 19:00
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2026 – Super 8 – Match 12
India 199/5 (19.2)
Zimbabwe 195/4 (20.0)
India beat West Indies by 5 wickets
West Indies cricket team Innings — 195/4 (20 Overs)
The West Indies cricket team’s strong middle-order contributions helped them to a respectable 195/4 in 20 overs. The squad got off to a strong start, albeit at a rather modest strike rate, thanks to captain Shai Hope’s 32 off 33 balls.
Roston Chase’s aggressive knock of 40 runs off 25 balls, which included five fours and one six, increased the momentum. Shimron Hetmyer placed pressure on the Indian bowlers by speeding up the innings with a rapid 27 off just 12 balls at an incredible strike rate of 225.
To keep the run flow going, Sherfane Rutherford added a useful 14 off 9 balls. Rovman Powell (34* off 19) and Jason Holder (37* off 22) ended strong and undefeated in the closing overs, hitting crucial boundaries and sixes to bring the total near 200.
With strong middle-order hitting and a strong finish in the last overs, it was an all-around well-balanced batting display.
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shai Hope (c)(wk) | b Varun Chakaravarthy | 32 | 33 | 3 | 1 | 96.96 |
| Roston Chase | c Suryakumar Yadav b Jasprit Bumrah | 40 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 160.00 |
| Shimron Hetmyer | c Sanju Samson b Jasprit Bumrah | 27 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 225.00 |
| Sherfane Rutherford | c Sanju Samson b Hardik Pandya | 14 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 155.55 |
| Rovman Powell | not out | 34 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 178.94 |
| Jason Holder | not out | 37 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 168.18 |
| Romario Shepherd | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Matthew Forde | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Gudakesh Motie | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Akeal Hosein | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Shamar Joseph | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Extras: 11 (0nb, 10wd, 0b, 1lb)
Total: 195/4 in 20.0 overs
India national cricket team Bowling Figures
West Indies scored 195 runs despite India’s consistent but very costly bowling effort.
The most successful bowler was Jasprit Bumrah, who gave up 36 runs in his 4 overs while capturing 2 significant wickets. He effectively controlled the middle overs and removed important batters.
With an economy rate of 10.00, Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakaravarthy each claimed one wicket while conceding forty runs. They were a little pricey, but they achieved breakthroughs.
Despite without taking a wicket, Axar Patel was India’s most economical bowler, conceding only 35 runs at an economy of 8.75 in 4 overs.
Despite bowling his entire allotted four overs, Arshdeep Singh let up 43 runs without taking a wicket. He had a little trouble in the final overs.
Although Bumrah led the attack and India’s bowlers took four wickets overall, the team gave up a solid total of nearly 200 runs.
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh | 4 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 10.75 |
| Hardik Pandya | 4 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 10.00 |
| Axar Patel | 4 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 8.75 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 4 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 9.00 |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | 4 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 10.00 |
Fall of Wickets
When Shai Hope was removed, West Indies lost their first wicket at 68 runs in 8.5 overs. This provided India their first breakthrough and put an end to a solid opening phase.
After a swift and forceful performance, Shimron Hetmyer was dismissed at 102 runs in 11.3 overs, taking the second wicket. The abrupt impetus was somewhat delayed by his dismissal.
Roston Chase was dismissed just two balls later, at 103/3 in 11.5 overs. The West Indies were under considerable strain in the middle overs due to this consecutive wicket.
Sherfane Rutherford was sent back to the pavilion after taking the fourth wicket at 119 runs in 13.4 overs. The remaining batsmen then stabilised the innings and put up a good finale.
| Score | Wicket | Over |
|---|---|---|
| 68/1 | Shai Hope | 8.5 |
| 102/2 | Shimron Hetmyer | 11.3 |
| 103/3 | Roston Chase | 11.5 |
| 119/4 | Sherfane Rutherford | 13.4 |
India national cricket team Innings – 199/5 (19.2 Overs)
India managed to chase 196 runs with four balls left. Sanju Samson led the innings with an outstanding undefeated 97 off 50 balls, hitting 12 fours and 4 sixes at a strike rate of 194. Throughout, he played attacking cricket and anchored the pursuit.
Abhishek Sharma (10) and Ishan Kishan (10) were dismissed early, giving India a rocky start. Despite scoring 18, captain Suryakumar Yadav was unable to convert his start.
Tilak Varma kept the required run rate under control with a fast 27 off 15 balls, which changed the momentum. Afterwards, Hardik Pandya scored 17 crucial runs before being dismissed in the 18th over.
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | c Shimron Hetmyer b Akeal Hosein | 10 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 90.90 |
| Sanju Samson (wk) | not out | 97 | 50 | 12 | 4 | 194.00 |
| Ishan Kishan | c Shimron Hetmyer b Jason Holder | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 166.66 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (c) | c Sherfane Rutherford b Shamar Joseph | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 112.50 |
| Tilak Varma | c Shimron Hetmyer b Jason Holder | 27 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 180.00 |
| Hardik Pandya | c Jason Holder b Shamar Joseph | 17 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 121.42 |
| Shivam Dube | not out | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Axar Patel | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Arshdeep Singh | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Jasprit Bumrah | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Extras: 12 (7wd, 5lb)
Total: 199/5 in 19.2 overs
West Indies cricket team Bowling Figures
When defending the target, West Indies bowlers had varying degrees of success.
With two wickets apiece, Jason Holder and Shamar Joseph were the most effective bowlers. Joseph conceded 42 runs at 10.50 but made significant progress, while Holder gave up 38 runs in 4 overs with an economy of 9.50.
Despite taking one wicket in his two overs, Akeal Hosein’s economy of 11.00 made him somewhat pricey.
Despite without taking a wicket, Matthew Forde was the most economical bowler, giving up just 22 runs in 3 overs at a respectable economy of 7.33.
Despite conceding 18 runs at an economy of 9.00 in their two overs apiece, Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase managed to keep things under control.
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akeal Hosein | 2 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 11.00 |
| Matthew Forde | 3 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 7.33 |
| Jason Holder | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 |
| Gudakesh Motie | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 9.00 |
| Romario Shepherd | 2.2 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 14.57 |
| Shamar Joseph | 4 | 0 | 42 | 2 | 10.50 |
| Roston Chase | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 9.00 |
India national cricket team Fall of Wickets
When Abhishek Sharma was removed at 29 runs in the third over, India suffered an early setback. The team was put under early pressure after Ishan Kishan was removed at 41/2 in the 4.3 over shortly after.
Before captain Suryakumar Yadav was removed at 99/3 in the 10.2 over, the innings steadied. India was gaining ground in the middle overs, thus this was a pivotal time.
Tilak Varma played a rapid knock and was out at 141/4 in the 14.4 over. The chase became a little frantic as Hardik Pandya was removed at 179/5 in the 18.2 over.
India was able to sustain a high run rate and finish the chase even though they were losing wickets frequently.
| Score | Wicket | Over |
|---|---|---|
| 29/1 | Abhishek Sharma | 3.0 |
| 41/2 | Ishan Kishan | 4.3 |
| 99/3 | Suryakumar Yadav | 10.2 |
| 141/4 | Tilak Varma | 14.4 |
| 179/5 | Hardik Pandya | 18.2 |
Final Thoughts
The India national cricket team and the West Indies cricket team engaged in an exciting match that saw momentum changes during play. Strong middle-order hitting and a strong finish helped the West Indies reach a respectable score of 195/4. But during the chase, India demonstrated remarkable poise. The squad kept a strong run rate and managed pressure efficiently in the last overs, even though they were losing wickets frequently.
Sanju Samson’s undefeated 97 off 50 balls, which turned out to be the difference, was the match’s high point. India won in 19.2 overs thanks to his innings, which blended aggression, timing, and maturity. All things considered, it was an exciting, high-scoring game that included outstanding batting performances, pivotal discoveries, and superb finishing under duress.
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